Railway-signal



' 4SheetsSheet 2. I. W. LOY & R. OTOOLE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 417.258. Patented Dec. 1'7 1889.

(No Model.)

FIG. 4.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1. WE L'OY & R. OTOOLE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 417,258. Patented Deal 17, 1889.

"g ill! INVENTOR Armin/5Y6.

(No Model.)

. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4; I. W. LOY & R. OTOOLE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. No. 417,258. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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=14 i llH!!!l!lllllllfllllllllllllltll F A a? I 6 5 J WW *5- W l s r Inpenfwzs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRVIN \V. LOY AND RICHARD OTOOLE, OF MECHANICSTOWN,ASSIGNORS OFONE-THIRD TO JOHN E. li'lATI-IEVS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RAI LWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,258, dated December17, 1 889. Application filed June 29, 1889. Serial No. 316,007. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, IRVIN \V.'LOY and RICHARD OTOOLE, citizens of theUnited States, and.residents of Mechanicstown, Maryland, have inventedcertain new and usef ul Improvements in Devices for Giving Notice of theApproach of a Railroad-Train to a Station or Crossing Automatically, ofwhich the following is a full and complete specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to that class of devices which are employed forgiving notice at a railroad station or crossing of the approach of atrain, and this is done automatically by the train itself as it passesover a device located by the side of l the track some distance away fromthe station or crossing.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the track with ourdevices in diagram, showing the location of the contactmaking devicesand the way in which they are connected with the bell-ringing device.Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section of track with thecircuit-closing device beside it. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thesame section of track with a modified form of circuitclosing devicebeside it. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the actuating-bar of the closingdevice with a modified form of spring. Fig. 5 is an elevation ofthebell-ringing device. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of one of thewheels of the bell-ringing device.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1. is the track. 2 2 are circuit-closing deviceslocated at any desired distance on either side of a station orrailroad-crossing. 3 4 are wires connecting one of said circuit-closingdevices with the bellringing device. 5 and 6 are wires connecting theother of said circuit-closing devices with the bell-ringing device.

Referring to Fig. 2, 1 is the track. 7 is a plate secured to thecross-ties beside the track. 8 8 are right-angle irons bolted to theplate. '7 next to the track, one arm of which is vertical. 9 9 are linkspivoted to the vertical arm of the angle-irons 8 8. 10 is a trackbarpivoted at either end to one of the links 9 9,, and standing in ahorizontal position a little above the level of the track 1. 11 is a lugor plate bolted or riveted to the trackplate 10 at about its center onthe side away from the track. 12 is a chair bolted to the plate 7 atabout its center and having vertical extensions at either end which formjournals for the shafts 13 and 14. The end of said shafts next to thetrack are extended and bent up vertically, and the end of said verticalextensions 15 and 16 bear against the extremities of the lug 11. 17 and18 are helical springs coiled around the shaft 13'and 14, one end ofwhich is secured to the rear vertical extension of the chair 12 and theother end to collars 19 and 20, secured to the shaft 13 and 14 byset-screws. The spring 17 and 18 must be coiled upon the shaft 13 and1-4 in opposite directions, so as to cause the vertical extensions 15and 16 of said shaft to ap-' proach one another and exert a pressureupon the ends of plate 11 from opposite directions. On the rear end ofthe shaft 14 is secured the finger 21, to which by a binding-post issecured the wire Said finger, or at least the end of it, must beinsulated from the shaft 14. Secured to the plate 7, immediately beneaththe finger 21, is the contact-plate 22, which is made of conductingmaterial, preferably copper, and maybe in the form shown in thedrawings, Fig. 2, or any other convenient form. To this contact-piece 22is secured the wire 4. 23 and 24 are steps secured to the verticalextension of the chair 12, next to the track, and limiting the motion ofthe vertical extensions 15 and 16 of the shaft 13 and 14.

Referring to Fig. 3, which shows a modified form of circuit-closingdevice and spring arrangement for maintaining the track-bar 10 initshighest position, 25 is a chair bolted to the plate 7 and having avertical extension at either end, in which is journaled the shaft 84,which forms the pivot of the end next the track of the links 9, whichsaid link is keyed. to it. 26 is a crank keyed to said shaft 34. 27 is apit1nan-rod connected to said crank. 5 28 is a contact-slide pivoted tothe pitinanrod. Said slide 28 is preferably made of copper and insulatedfrom the pitman-rod. It works in the guide 29, to which is connected thewire 4, by binding or otherwise. 30 is. another guide similar incharacter to 29, located immediatelybeyond it and in line with the slide28, in position in which the slide 28 will enter it and make contactwith it, and thus make electrical communication between it and the guide29. To the guide 30 is secured the wire The guides 30 and 29 must beboth insulated from the plate 7. 31 and 32 are flat springs rit'eted tothe plate 7 and bearing against the side of the link 9 9, so as to exerta pressure upon the ends of the trackbar 10 in opposite directions.These springs are of equal strength and maintain the trackbar 10 atitshighest elevation.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of spring 33 and 33. These springs, insteadof pushing against the link 9 9, pull upon them, but serve an equivalentfunction with the forms shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to Fig. 5, 35 is an electro-magnet, as shown in the drawings.It is wound with two wires 3 and 6, which enter it at the lowerextremity and leave it at the upper extremity. 39 is the armature ofsaid electro magnet, which is pivoted on rock-shaft 41, as will behereinafter described. 36 is a battery. 37 and 38 are binding-postswhich form the terminals of the battery, one being connected to thepositive pole and the other to the negative pole of the battery. It willbe remembered that the wires 3 and 4 conneet with one of thecircuit-closing devices, which may be designated as that down the track,while Figs. 5 and 6 connect with the circuit-closing device which wewill call that up the track. From the binding-post 38 proceed two wires3 and 5. 3 proceeds from the binding posts to the electro-magnet 35, iswound upon it, leaves it at its upper extremity, and proceeds down thetrack to the circuit-closin g device, and then back again .to thebell-ringing device as wire 4, and to the battery through binding-post37, or to the ground, if the line be grounded. The other wire 5 proceedsfrom the binding-post 38 directly to the line up the track, to thecircuit-closing device, back again as wire 6 enters the electro-magnetat the same point at which wire 3 entered it, is coiled upon said magnetside by side with wire 3, leaves the magnet at its upper extremity, andgoes to the battery or ground through the bindingpost 37. It will beobserved that the device just described contemplates that two wiresshall be wound upon the magnet, making two en tire independent circuits.This, however, is unnecessar as the wires 4 and 6 may be connected atthe lower extremity of the magnet to a single wire wound upon it, andsaid wire proceed from the magnet to the battery. The wires 3 and 5 maygo direct to the lines up and down the track, as illustrated in Fig. 7.The bell mechanism is operated by the same battery which is closed bythe contact devices on the line, a portion of the current being shuntedfor this purpose. 54 is a bar secured to the binding-post 38 by anelectrical contact, or it may be a stationary pin of copper or otherconducting material secured to the supporting-board of the device at thepoint occupied by the extremity of rod 54, as shown in the drawings,said pin being connected by a wire with binding-post 38. 55 is a springmade of copper or other conducting material rigidly secured to thesupporting-board by a post 56, and, when permitted to do so, rests inits extremity against the end of the bar 54. The post 56 is connected bythe wire 59 to one extremity of the electromagnet 58. Said wire iscoiled upon said magnet and leaves its other extremities. It is thenconnected to the post 60, through which passes the screw 61. Said screwatits extremity forms a contact-point for the spring 62, which issecured to the pivoted armature 5]. of the electro-magnet 58. The spring62 is, however, insulated from the armature 51, and to it is connectedthe wire 63, which returns to the post 37, whence it goes to battery orground. 51 is the armature of the magnet 58, pivoted to 52, and providedon its upper extremity with rod 50 and on its lower extremity with rod66, to the end of which is secured a hammer 67. 68 is a gong secured tothe supporting-board of the device and in position to be struck by thehammer 67 on the armature 51, if vibrated. The armature 39, as abovedescribed, is supported upon a .bar 40, which is secured to therock-shaft 41.

To said rock-shaft 41 is also secured the de tent-hook 42, which engagesa notch in the detent-wheel 43,which is keyed to a shaft 69. To saidshaft 69 is also keyed the gear-wheel 44. Said gear-wheel is shown infull elevation in Fig. 6. On one side 45 several of the teeth areremoved, while to the opposite side is secured a weight 46. 47 is alantern-pinion secured to the shaft 48. 49 is a ratchet-wheel, alsokeyed to shaft 48. 7 U is a vibrating pawl-hook pivoted to the rod 50and engaging the teeth of ratchet-wheel 49. 53 is a spring-pawl, whichalso engages the ratchetwheel and is secured to the supporting-board andprevents the ratchet-wheel from turning backward. 64 is a spring securedto the rod 50 at one end, and to the post 65 at the other.

Said post is screwed in the supporting-board. The operation of thedevice is as follows: When a train approachesast-atiou, the wheels ofthe engine strike upon and depress the track-bar 10. It will be noticedby reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that if the links 9 9 are deflected in onedirection they will cause the circuit-closing device to close thecircuit. If, however, they are deflected in the opposite direction, thecircuit will not beclosed. This fact is made use of in locating thecircuitclosing devices in relation to the station, as it is desired togive the signal when the train is approaching the station and not whenit is going away from it. In Fig. 2 if the train is moving in onedirection the vertical end 16 of the shaft 14 will be pressed downward,the finger 21 pressed downward and the circuit closed, and a signalconsequently given. If, however, a train were moving in an oppositedirection, the end 16 of shaft 14 will not be moved; but the end 15 ofshaft 13 will be depressed and remain so until the wheel has passed overthe track-bar, when the spring 17 will cause the vertical end 15 topress the track-bar back to its point of highest elevation. '80 with thedevice shown in Fig. When the train is passing in one direction, it willcause the crank 26 and the pitman 27 to push the slide 28 into the guide30, thereby closing the circuit and giving the signal \Vhen, however,the train moves in the opposite direction and strikes upon the track-bar10 and moves it in an opposite direction to its former position, thecrank 26 and pitman 27 will simply draw the slide 28 farther out of theguide 29 and no contact will be made. As soon as the train passes, thespring 31 and 32 will cause the barlO to resume its position of highestelevation. It will be seen that if the bar is not of such a length as tobe held down by the front and rear truck of a passenger-car a separateoperation of the device will take place each time a truck passes overit, thus subjecting it to considerable wear. If, however, the bar bemade as long as a passenger-car, this difficulty will be avoidedReferring to Fig. 5, the current passing from binding-post 38 throughwire 3 around the electro-magnet, out of its upper extremities,v

down the track to the contact device, will return through the wire 4 tobinding-post 37. Passing through the magnet, it will energize it, causeit to attract its armature 39, and thereby turn the rock-shaft 41 andraise the detent-hook 42 out of its notch in the detentwheel 43, freeingthe train. At the same time the extremity 57 of armature 39, which, whenthe apparatus is not in operation, holds the spring 55 out of contactwith the bar 54, will, when withdrawn by the attraction of the mag--net, permit the spring 55 to fall upon and make contact with rod 54,thereby closing the shunt-circuit. The current as it passes through thewire 59 and then around the magnet will energize said magnet and causeit to attract its armature 51 and strike the bell. The attraction of thearmature 51 will break the contact between the spring 62 and the screw[31, thereby breaking the circuit, the magnet will release its armature,and the spring 64 will draw it back to its former position andre-establish the contact between the screw 61 .and spring (32, therebyre-establishing the circuit. The armature will be then again attractedand the bell struck, and this reciprocation will continue as long as thecurrent continues to pass. After a train has once closed the circuitwhen approaching a station or crossing, it is desirable that the gongshould continue to ring for a suflicient length of time to give amplenotice of the approach of the train. This is accomplished in thefollowing manner: The wheel 44 (shown in Fig. 6) is provided, asdescribed, with a weight 46 on one side and a space be tween the teethon the other from which several teeth have been removed. The detentwheel43 is keyed to the same shaft as the wheel 44. Said wheel 44 will hencebe held by the detent-hook 42 when it falls into the notch in wheel 43.The wheel 44 is so located upon shaft 69 that the beginning of the space45 will be in contact with the lantern-pinion 47 when the detent-hookrests in its notch. As soon, therefore, as the detent-hook is raised andthe detent-wheel released, there beingno teeth in engagement with thelantern-pii'iion, the wheel 44 will be caused to revolve upon its axisby the weight 46, carrying with it the detent-wheel 43 as far as thespace 45 011 the periphery of wheel 44 will permit. This space isarranged to be of such a length as to insure the detent-notch passing sofar beyond the detent-hook 42 as to prevent said hook from falling intoit. The endof the detenthook will therefore rest upon the periphery ofwheel 43 until that wheel has made a complete revolution. The raising ofthe end of the detent-hook when it rests upon the periphery of thedetent-wheel will so rock the shaft 41 as to cause the armature 39 to beremoved from beneath the spring 55, thereby permitting said spring tomake contact with the bar 54 and close the bell-circuit. As soon as saidcircuit is closed the reciprocation of armature 51 will begin andcontinue so long as the circuit remains closed. The reciprocation of thearmature 51 will reciprocate the rod 50 and the detenthook 70 and causesaid detent-hook to revolve the ratchet-wheel 49. The shaft 48, uponwhich said ratchetwhcel is keyed, will turn the lantern-pinion 47 andthat will turn the gear-wheel 44 and cause the revolution of the shaft69 and detent-wheel 43 until the notch of said Wheel stands beneaththeend of the detent-hook 42, when the weight of the armature 39 will causesaid hook to fall into said-notch and stop the train at the same timethat theinsulated end 57 of the armature 39 engages the spring 55 andbreaks the contact between it and the bar 54.

Having thus described our lI1VOl'ltlOI1,WlJ2Lt we desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is-- 1. In an apparatus for giving an automaticsignal of the approach of a railroad-train, the

combination of a track-bar mounted upon rocking supports,a'eireuit-closing device connected to and operated by the motion of thetrack-bar, springs. operating upon said trackbar, so as to maintain itatits highest elevation, and an electric circuit, including thecircuit-closing device, and an electro-magnet the armature of which issecured to a rockshaft, "to which is also secured a detent-hook whichengages a notch in a detent-wheel which is a member of a train operatedby the vibrating armature of a'magneto-electric bell, the circuit ofwhich is closed when the armature of the electro-magnet in the main lineis attracted and the detent-hook raised, releasing the train, and whichis broken by the armature of the main-line magnet when the detent-hookfalls back into its notch.

2. In an apparatus for giving an automatic signal of the approach of arailroad-train, the combination of a track-bar mounted upon rockingsupports, a circuitclosing device connected to and operated by themotion of the track-bar, springs oo-operating with said track-bar tomaintain it at its point of highest elevation, and an electric circuit,including the circuit-closing devices, and an electro-magnet, ashunt-circuit, an electro-magnet included in said shunt-circuit, and apivoted armature provided with mechanism forbreaking the circuit whenattracted and closing it again when released by the magnet, one end ofsaid armature being provided with a hammer which engages a bell, and theother end being provided with a detent-hook which engages aratchet-wheel and operates a train, one member of which is adetent-wheel having a detent-notch which is engaged by a detent-hooksecured to a rock-shaft, to which is also secured the armature of themain-line magnet, a circuit-closing device included in the shunt-circuitand operated by the mainline armature to close the shunt-circuit whenthe said armature is attracted and break it when the armature isreleased, provided the detent-hook can fall into its notch in thedetent-wheel, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for giving an automatic signal of the approach of arailroad-train, the

combination of a track-bar mounted upon tro-magnet, ash nut-circuit, anelectro-magnet included in said shunt-circuit, and a pivoted armatureprovided with mechanism for breaking the circuit when attracted andclosing it again when released by the magnet, one end of said armaturebeing provided with a hammer which engages a bell, and the other endbeing provided with a detent-hook which engages a ratchet-wheel which.is one of the members of a train, the other members of which are apinion keyed to the same shaft as the ratchet-wheel, and meshing with agear-wheel which is mounted upon a shaft, to which is also keyed adetent-wheel having a notch which is engaged by a detent-hook secured toa rock-shaft, to which is also secured the armature of the main-linemagnet, a circuit-closing device included in the shunt-circuit andoperated by the main-line armature to close the shunt-circuit when thesaid armature is attracted and break it when the armature is released,provided the detentwheel has turned sufficiently to permit thedetent-hook to fall into its notch, substantially as described.

4. In a train of gearing for a signaling device, the combination of adetent-hook, a detent-Wheel, and a gear-wheel keyed to the same shaft asthe detent-wheel, said gear bein g mutilated by the removal of severalteeth from one side, and being provided with a weight attached to it onthe side opposite to the mutilated portion, substantially as described.

IRVIN W. LOY. RICHARD OTOOLE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM MOORE, J. E. MATHEWS.

